Literary Notices. 233 



Report we learn that the Polar Observations indicate a smaller 

 value than had been hitherto assigned to the polar flattening of the 

 earth. " The compression, as deduced from Mr. Schott, from all 

 the observations of the expedition under Dr. Hayes, is one 377th 

 part of the polar radius. The excess of the number of vibrations in a 

 day at Port Foulke, over the number made by the same pendulum 

 in the same time in the Harvard Observatory, was 129|." Further 

 experiments with the same pendulum are in progress, to ascertain 

 the number of its vibrations at various points of the meridian on 

 which Port Foulke lies, in order to obtain a series of independent 

 observations of the curvature of the earth. Curious information as 

 to the climate of the polar regions seems to have been obtained ; 

 thus. Port Foulke, which is in the vicinity of open polar water, 

 showed 26° higher temperature than Van Rennselaer Harbour, only 

 53 miles distant from it. The maximum difference was 46^- on the 

 20th March, 18G1. The warmest day was on the 15th July, when 

 the temperature was 41 0, 6 F., and 16th Feb. was the coldest, being 

 — 28' F. The N.E. winds coming over Greenland were found to be 

 the coldest, and the S.W. the warmest, but " the effect of the 

 various winds on the whole is small, not exceeding an elevation or 

 depression of more than 1J° from the mean. The most intense cold 

 was experienced during calms. Snow and rain exert much more 

 influence on the winter temperature than wind ; on an average, in 

 winter, during every fall of snow, the temperature was elevated 

 8'*6 F., and in summer fell l^ a during a fall of snow or rain." Clear 

 days in winter were on the average the coldest by 3 if, and the 

 highest in summer by 3, 8. The quantity of the stream of air passing 

 in the course of a year over the field of observation was nearly 

 60,000 miles. 



The Smithsonian Report for 1865 has the usual appendix, in the 

 shape of a series of useful papers selected from various sources, and 

 is well adapted to diffusing scientific knowledge. 



Modern Arithmetic ; a Treatise adapted for the School and for 

 Private Study, containing numerous improvements in aid of the 

 Preparation of Candidates for Public Examinations. By the Rev. 

 John Hunter, M.A., formerly Vice- Principal of the National Society's 

 Training College, Battersea. (Longmans.) 



An Easy Introduction to the higher Treatises on Conic Sections. 

 By the Rev. John Hunter, M.A. (Longmans.) 



These publications of Mr. Hunter evince a clear perception of tho 

 difficulties of students. The arithmetic, especially, is very superior 

 to most of the works in general use. 



The Twin Records of Creation, or Geology and Genesis, their 

 perfect harmony and wonderful concord. By Geo. Victor le Vaux. 

 (Lockwood.) — This is one of those unfortunatepublicationswhich will 

 be liked best by those who are in the most complete accordance with 

 the writer's theology, and who possess the least knowledge of geo- 

 logical investigation. 



A Monograph of the British Fossil Crustacea, belonging to the 

 Order Merostomata. Part I. Pterygotus Anglicus, Agassiz. Pages 

 1—44. Plates i.— ix. By Henry Woodward, F.G.S., F.Z.S., of tho 



